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A. C. MERCER.

SNAP FASTENER- APPUCATION FILED APR.18. x919.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

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WITNESS A $1 ltd/ 07 UNITED STA PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHEUS C. MERCER, 0F WILKINSBURG BOROUGH, FENNS YLV ANIA.

SNAP-FASTENER' My invention consists in a new and improved snap fastener intended for detachably connecting together two articles or portions of the same article.

Thus, my fastener may be used as a substitute for buttons and button holes in garments, the securing in place of automobile curtains, and for numerous other kindred purposes.

The object which I have in view is the provision of a new and improved device for these purposes which will be efficient inexpensive and durable, and which may be quickly and easily fastened, and unfastened, but cannot accidentally become unfastened.

. enerally speaking, my invention is of the following construction. I provide two coa'cting'elements, a stud plate and a socket plate, which are sewed or otherwise attached to the portions of the garment to'be connected together. The stud plate. has projecting from its exposed face astud with an enlarged head and a restricted neck, while the socket plateis provided with a facial depression of sufiicient depth to accommodate the stud. The outertefid wall of said depression is preferably 'an incline down which the stud travels while the inner end wall is more abrupt and is provided at its bottom with an opening of sufiicient size to permit the head of the stud to pass through the rear of the socket plate having a straight portion disposed diametrically of the plate which, when unbowed, lies substantially flat against the plate, the inclined wall of the depression being slotted to provide clearance for the spring which also extends through the slot above referred to. The center of the spring preferably coincides with or 1s alined with the angle in said first mentioned slot.

- Specification of Letters latent. Patented, Oct. 21, 1919.,

Application filed April 18, 1919. Serial No. 290,917.

I also show a new and improved form of spring and means for mounting the same upon the socket plate.

Other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts will appear fromthe following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which are form of spring.

The following is a detailed description of I the invention.

A and B respectively represent the. stud plate andthe socket plate, which may be conveniently stamped from sheet metal. Their perimetral edges are preferably curved rearwardly and inwardly to form a finished edge, and to strengthen and protect the plates. The plates are preferably provided with slots or holes 1 for sewing or otherwise attaching the plates on garments. I have shown the plates as circular, but it will be understood that any desired shape may be adopted.

The stud plate A is provided on its outer face with a stud 2 having an enlarged head and a restricted neck. I prefer to place this stud eccentrically'of the plate, as shown.

The socket plate B is provided at one side of its center witha depression 3 of suflicient depth to receive the stud 2, said depression being preferably disposed radially of the plate B with its outer wall in the form of an abrupt, as shown. The bottom of the inner incline while its inner end Wall is -more end wall is provided with an opening 4 of suflicient size to permit the head of the stud to pass through the rear side of the plate B.

5 is a slot which extends from the opening a 4 up the inner end wall of the depression 3 and then across the fiat body of the plate, preferably past the center ofthe plate, so that when the plates are interengaged and the neck of the stud 2 occupies the inner end of the slot5, the perimeters of the two plates register, as shown in Fig. l. The angle in the slot 5 at the top of the inner end wall of the recess 3 forms a pair of shoulders. a slot extending down the nclined outer Giswall of the depression to the opening 4. The depression 3 is of proper width to .permit the passage of the head of the stud 2 down the incline to the opening 4. v C is a spring, made of resilient wire and having a straight portion 7 which is dis posed diametrically against the rear face of the plate B extending, when not bowed rearwardly, through the slots 5 and 6. I prefer to form said spring in substantially an S-shape, having the straight central portion 7 and the nearly semi-circular ends 8 which may occupy the curled in perimeter of the plate B, thus mounting the spring in place. I prefer also to form integral tongues 9 on the plate B, as shown in Fig. 4, which, when the spring 0 is installed may be bent to form loosely fitting slide bearings 9a, Fig. 8, for the ends of the portion 7 of the spring.

The head of the stud 2 is provided with a diametric groove 10 which fits over the Wire spring, thus preventing the stud slipping off the spring to one side."

The center of the spring 7 should register with the shoulders in the slot 5, so that when the spring is bowed rearwardly away from the plate B, the greatest flex will be at that point and the spring will form inclines from both ends to that point.

The use of my improved fastener is as follows.

When it is desired to snap the two plates together, the plates A and B are pressed to gether face to face and onemoves laterally in relation to the other, causing the stud 2 to travel down the incline, riding by means of its groove 10 on the wire 7, and through the opening 4 to the rear of the plate B, the neck of the stud entering and traveling along the slot 5. The stud bows the spring away from the plate B, thus forming of such spring an incline down which the stud slides through the opening 4. As the neck of the stud passes the shoulders in the slot 5, the head of the stud passes the center of the spring and starts the ascent of the other incline in the spring, so that when the neck of the stud reaches the inner end of the slot 5 and the pressure between the plates is relieved, the stud is forced by the spring up behind the shoulders in the slot '5. The slot 5 is of sufficient length to permit the head of the stud to seat up behind said shoulders and against the rear face of the plate B. To release the fastener the plates A and B are again pressed together so that the stud once more bows the spring until the head of the stud passes to the rear of the shoulders and by a lateral movement of the plate A is caused to pass out through v the opening 4. The exit of the stud through said opening is facilitated in that it-is again travelingup an incline in the spring toward the exposedface of the plate B. Thus the action of the spring is to facilitate both the engagement and disengagement of the fastener but accidental disengagement of the fastener is clearly impossible, as the spring 0 must be bowed and the plates shifted laterally, a compound movement which could not accidentally occur. I

It is evident that my fastener is positive in its action, proof against accidental disengagement, yet convenient and of durable and substantial construction.

What I desire to claim is 1. A fastener of the character described which consists in a stud plate and a socket plate, the stud plate being provided with a projecting stud having an enlarged head and a restricted neck and the socket plate being provided with a facial depression having an opening at one end of suiiicient size to permit the passage of the head of the stud to the rear of said stud plate and a slot, of sufficient size to permit the passage of the neck of the stud, leading from said opening up the wall of said depression and along the body of the plate, thus forming angular shoulders in the wall of said slot, and a spring mounted diametrically on the rear face of said socket plate and adapted to bear on the head of said stud, whereby when said plates are compressed together said stud spring and permitting said stud to pass out from. behind said shoulders through said opening. I

2. A fastener of the, character described which consists in a stud plate and a socket plate, the stud plate being provided with a projecting stud having an enlarged head and a restricted neck and the socket plate being,

provided with a facial depression having an opening at one end of suflicient size to permit the passage of the head of the stud to the rear of said ,stud plate and a slot, of suflicient size to permit the passage of the neck of the stud, leading from said opening up the wall of said depression and along the body of the plate, thus forming angular shoulders in the wall of said slot, and a spring mounted diametrically on'the rear face of said socket plate and adapted to bear on the head ofsaid stud, whereby when'said plates are compressed together said stud en'- ters said depression and bows said spring whereupon the head of said stud rides along" from behind said shoulders through said Cit opening, the head of said stud being grooved to engage and slide along said spring.

3. A fastener of the character described which consists in a stud plate and a socket plate, the stud plate being provided with aprojecting stud having an enlarged head and a restricted neck and the socket plate being provided with a facial depression having an opening at one end of sufficient size to permit the passage of the head of the stud to the rear of said stud plate and a slot, of suh'icient size to permit the passage of the neck of the stud, leading from said opening up the wall of said depression and along the body ofthe plate; thus forming angular shoulders in the wall of said slot, and a spring mounted diametrically on the rear face of said socket plate and adapted to bear on the head of said stud, the ends of said spring being bent and confined in the inturned perimetral edge of said socket plate, whereby when said plates are compressed togethensaid stud enters said depression and bows said spring whereupon the head of said stud rides along said spring through said opening and is forced up behind said shoulders, and when said fastener is to be disengaged the plates are again compressed together, bowing said spring, and permitting said stud to pass out from behind said shoulders through said opening.

4. A fastener of the character described which consists in a stud plate and a socket plate, the stud plate being provided with a projecting stud having an enlarged head and a restricted neck and the socket plate being provided with a facial depression having an opening at one end of suflicient size topermit the passage of the head of the stud to the rear of said studplate and a slot, of suflicient size to permit the passage of the neck of the stud, leading from said opening up the wall of said depression and along the body of the plate, thus forming angular shoulders in the wall of said .slot, and a spring mounted diametrically on the rear face of said socket plate and adapted to bear on the head of said stud, the ends of said spring being bent and confined in the in turned perimetral edge of said socket plate, whereby when said plates are compressed together said stud enters said depression and bows said spring whereupon the head of said stud rides along said spring through said opening and is forced up behind said shoulders, and when said fastener is to be disengaged the plates are again compressed together, bowing said spring and permitting said stud to pass out from behind said shoulders through said opening, the head of said stud being grooved to engage and slide along said spring.

5. A fastener of the character described which consists in a stud plate and a socket plate, the stud plate being provided with a projecting stud having an enlarged head and a restricted neck and the socket plate being provided with a facial depression having an opening at one end of sufficient size to permit the passage of the head of the stud to the rear of said studplate and-a slot, of sufficient size to permit the passage of the neck of the stud, leading from said opening up the wall of said depression and along the body of the plate, thus forming angular shoulders in the wall of said slot, and a spring mounted diametrically on the rear face of said socket plate and adapted to bear on the head of said stud, the center of said spring registering with said shoulders, whereby when said plates are compressed together said stud enters said depression and bows said spring whereupon the head of saidstud rides along said spring through said opening and is forced up behind said shoulders, and when said fastener is to be disengaged the plates are again compressed together, bowing said spring and permitting said stud to pass out from behind said shoulders through said opening.

6. A fastener of the character described which consists in a stud plate and a socket plate, the stud plate being provided with a projecting stud having an enlarged head and a restricted neck and the socket plate being provided with a facial depression having an opening at one end of suflicient size to permit the passage of the head of the stud to the rear of said stud plate and a slot, of sufficient size to permit the passage of the neck of the stud, leading from said opening up the wall of said depression and along the body of the plate, thus forming angular shoulders in the wall of said slot, and a spring mounted diametrically on the rear face of said socket plate and adapted to bear on the head of said stud, the center of said spring registering withsaid shoulders, whereby when said plates are compressed together said stud enters said depression and bows said spring whereupon the head of said stud rides along said spring through said opening and is forced up behind said shoulders, and when said fastener is to be disengaged the plates are again compressed together, bowing said spring and permitting said stud to pass out from behind said shoulders through said opening, the head of said stud being grooved to engage and slide along said spring.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 14th day of April, 1919.

ALPHEUS C. MERCER: 

